Journal article
Cardiac Corpuscles: A “New” Morphofunctional Entity?
International journal of morphology, v 41(4), pp 1058-1065
01 Aug 2023
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The existence of “transitional muscular structures” between subendocardial branches (Purkinje fibers) and ventricular working muscle fibers (WF) was first described by the German anatomist, Kurt Goerttler, in 1964. He designated them as “subendocardial nucleus organs.” He supposed such fibers functioned as mechanoreceptors, controlling of the intensity of contraction of the ventricular musculature. Brazilian anatomist Ferraz de Carvalho described similar structures in 1993. A thorough literature search failed to identify any other research articles confirming or denying their existence. The objective of this work was to find such structures in subendocardial ventricular walls in human hearts. We collected fifteen formalin-preserved hearts from the Anatomy Department of São Paulo University and sectioned the apical portions on the right and left ventricles according to method used by Goerttler. We utilized conventional histology (light microscopy- LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a new preservation method called micro- plastination (MP). At the anterior wall of the right ventricle in the subendocardial region between the interventricular septum and moderator band, we found several bundles of fusiform and helicoidal fibers of similar histology to the WF. The bundles measured between 400 and 1150 µm in length and were separated from adjacent muscular fibers by thin collagen fiber, thus acting as a “pseudo capsule.” Some structures seemed to be linked to PF and were appeared to be lymphatic and blood vessels and nerves. We called those structures “cardiac corpuscles” (CC). The observation of the previously “unknown” CC in this initial study confirmed the previous descriptions and its discovery may contribute to new perspectives in the study of cardiac muscle structure and function.
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Details
- Title
- Cardiac Corpuscles: A “New” Morphofunctional Entity?
- Creators
- Adriano Ferreira da-Silva - Universidade de São PauloPatrick William Frank - University of ToledoCarlos Augusto Camargo de Souza Baptista - University of ToledoJosé Antonio Franchini Ramires - Universidade de São PauloEdson Aparecido Liberti - Universidade de São Paulo
- Publication Details
- International journal of morphology, v 41(4), pp 1058-1065
- Publisher
- Sociedad Chilena de Anatomía
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- Portuguese
- Academic Unit
- Neurobiology and Anatomy
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001048344800011
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85169478972
- Other Identifier
- 991021900207304721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Anatomy & Morphology